"Let us be...cannon fodder?"
The Suit Man's voice trembled. He and the Woman with Heavy Makeup exchanged a horrified glance, their expressions darkening as they recalled the system hint they'd received before entering the dungeon:
[Absolutely do not attempt to fight the Banshee. Immediately run away when you encounter a Banshee. This might give you a chance to survive.]
The Eye Icon App tailored its dungeon hints to each Player's capabilities.
For example, Asuna's warning was to avoid confrontation unless armed with a Banshee-specific weapon, implying that her standard Western sword was useless.
Asagiri's hint, by contrast, had been simple:
Finish battles quickly and avoid being surrounded.
A roundabout way of saying that in a one-on-one, he could crush an ordinary Banshee.
"Please, I'm begging you—" the Woman with Heavy Makeup sobbed.
"Shut up," Asagiri snapped. "Begging again? What are you, a giant baby?"
His tone was sharp and cold, eyes narrowing.
"You're not thinking you can just hide in some corner while we deal with everything, are you? I already gave you your two options:
One—go ahead of us, scout the unknown, and maybe live.
Two—I kill you now."
In the end, the Suit Man and the Woman with Heavy Makeup accepted their grim fate, agreeing to serve as cannon fodder.
Before heading to the lower floors, Asuna suggested a one-hour rest. Though she felt fine, she could see Asagiri was slightly depleted after summoning his Persona to capture the Red-Clothed Banshee. To stay at peak condition in a place like this, even a sliver of lost strength was worth recovering.
The two infected Players were locked in the suite's innermost bedroom—far away from the group. They'd drunk the Hotel's water and could explode, like the Banshee, at any moment. Precautions had to be taken.
During this break, Asuna, recognizing Kotoko's value, chose to share what she and Asagiri had discovered—excluding, of course, the details of Asagiri's unique talent. The method used to capture the Red-Clothed Banshee was glossed over.
Kotoko listened attentively and then gave her analysis.
"Hm... you mentioned you filled the bathtub, right? So you came into direct contact with the water—but weren't infected. That suggests touching the water is fine. What matters isingestion."
Asuna nodded thoughtfully.
"So, theoretically, if we avoid drinking the water, we just need to hold out for twelve hours. Isn't that...a little too easy?"
"That's not easy at all."
Asagiri's calm voice interrupted. He sat on the couch, arms crossed.
"Didn't you notice? Since we arrived, the temperature inside the Hotel has been steadily rising."
"Now that you mention it…" Asuna muttered. "It has been getting hotter…"
"On the seventh floor it was fine," he continued. "But the twenty-second was significantly warmer. My guess? As time passes, the temperature continues to climb, forcing Players downward."
Asuna's eyes widened.
"Which means… Players are driven by heat and exhaustion, forced to flee Banshees while dehydrating—eventually desperate enough to drink the water."
"Exactly," Asagiri said. "The game wants to grind down your endurance. You don't just fight spirits—you fight your own body."
They had already cleared the seventh floor's Banshee and uncovered the Hotel's key mechanic. In contrast, the Suit Man and Woman with Heavy Makeup were clearly bottom-tier Players.
Asuna realized it then:
Even though they'd entered the same dungeon, she and Asagiri weren't on the same level as the others.
Ordinary Players: Forced to play hide-and-seek with Banshees, desperately avoiding death, dehydrated and exhausted, grasping for a sliver of hope.
Advanced Players: Could forcefully push through Banshee encounters. Escape wasn't guaranteed, but possible.
Cheat Players:"Done crying? Great. Now I'll interrogate you."
Asuna turned to Kotoko.
"Right... you could tell those two were infected. Your senses must be pretty sharp."
Kotoko smiled.
"To be honest, my talent is perfectly suited for dungeons involving spirits and paranormal phenomena. If I just wanted to clear this dungeon, it'd be no challenge at all. But there's something I want to verify."
Her eyes turned to Asagiri.
"What's your goal here? You're not just aiming for a clear, are you? If our goals align, maybe we can cooperate. What do you think?"
Asagiri met her gaze and smiled faintly.
"I think that's fine, Kotoko."
"Then—"
Kotoko started to reply—but suddenly froze.
Her calm, composed expression wavered for the first time.
She blinked, flustered.
"Wait...You actually know my name? But that's—have we met before?"
"No," Asagiri replied simply.
"That's true," Kotoko murmured. But her unease vanished just as quickly. She placed her white beret on her lap, tilted her head, and offered him a sweet smile.
"Someone like you... if we had met before, I would've fallen for you at first sight. And I'm sure I'd never be able to forget you."
"...Huh?"
Asuna blinked.
Love at first sight...?
Wait. Wait—what??
She stared in disbelief.
This Kotoko...
actually fell in love with Asagiri at first sight?!
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